Unions and Politics

So much talk about unions and politics these days. So much ranting, and today is no different. I'm gonna rant.

Had a discussion about the BCTF avec my supervisor and two other colleagues. Two people were for the BCTF, one was uncertain (didn't know too much about it), and my supervisor was against it. Anyway, long story made short: my supervisor has a short memory.

Supervisor didn't understand why the other unions wanted to get into the "fight", to stick their noses into the BCTF-BC Libs dispute. She made a comment about the 0% wage increase, how she thought teachers were paid enough and that they already get 2 months off in the summer, blah blah. Her opinion is that if the government legislated them back to work, they should go back to work, and find other ways to solve the problem. She made these comments (plus some others) in front of me and 2 other colleagues of mine - she made the comment in front of 3 unionized members. She wonders how all this protesting and striking can help their cause.

She's forgotten the history of the BC Libs. She's forgotten her own workplace history - how the assistants, clerks etc were on strike fighting for some of the same things. The BC Libs take an extremely hard line against unions. They love the idea of contracting out, have a history of tearing up contracts, and love the idea of privatizing the public sector.

Supervisor had forgotten that 1.5 years ago her own "underlings" were in the same situation - on strike because the government offered us 0% wage increase. We were legislated back to work, and "forced" to take a contract that gave us no wage increase, and that took away a significant amount of other benefits (of which I will not name). Supervisor is blissfully aware that to this day many many MANY of us are still bitter and resentful of what happened.

If she wonders why other unions are now acting up in favour of the BCTF and disrupting the public by participating in protests and rallies and by joining the protest lines, it's because this has already happened in the past. It's because many of the union locals are currently bargaining (or will soon be bargaining) for their own collective agreements. We know what will happen if we sit quietly in our own little corners. We will continue to get 0% wage increases. We will continue to lose our benefits, and in the near future, the smaller unions will disappear.

The union's purpose is meant to be political. Unions are meant to fight for worker's rights and equality. That is their history, and that is how they are run. They are meant to be critics on policies that negatively target the working and middle class, and when attacked, members expect their unions to defend it's members.

The BC Libs will only hear our protests if thousands of voters stand up against them shouting in one voice, demanding for fair and negotiated contracts for their public employees. Unilateral, coerced contracts are not an option.

How is it NOT a conflict of interest when the government and the BCTF are in negotiations for a new contract, and then the government legislates the contract on their terms, unilaterally?? The government decides they don't like what the BCTF are asking, and they pass a bill FORCING the BCTF to accept the government's terms.

Sidenote:
The media have pointed out that about below 60%(??) of the BCTF members cast a ballot indicating yes or no to take further job action (political protest). About 90% of those who voted, voted for job action. The government was worried that those unheard voices, that those who did not cast a ballot, did NOT want a strike. The media and the BC Libs have questioned the validity and strength of the strike vote. Well, I question the validity of the BC Libs, seeing how about the same percentage of BC citizens voted in the last election, and how even a smaller percentage of that group voted for the BC Libs.

The number of voters in any election, in North American society, is a symptom of the voting system and voter attitudes and NOT an indication of the vote itself. Those who did not show up, were either content with either outcome, did not care either way, was sick, on vacation, or whatever other "regular" excuse is used come ANY election time.